
53 




3 



-4—- SKETCH-™-*^ 

{ OF THE 1^ 

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER, 

SEPT. 19, 1564. 



^E^C+^ 



; OF THE ;■ 



BATTLE OT WINCIIESTEII 



SEPTEMBER 19, 1864. 



fjifEn 



-READ BEFORE- 



THE OHIO COMMANDERY 



LOYAL LEGIO^ OF THE UpD STATES, 



BY COPvIRANION 



FIRST LIEUTENANT M. L. HAWKINS, 



nvEA-iacia: s, i884- 



CINCINNATI: 

PETER G. THOMSON. 

1884. 



IN EXCHANGE 

JAN 5 - 1915 



.A^ 



^ .'^^ ^0\ 



Sketch of the Battle of Winchester. 



. This engagement, styled by Gen. Sheridan, our com- 
mander, as the battle of Opequan, to distinguish it from previ- 
ous contests around Winchester, restored the lower Valley of 
Virginia to Union control, from which it was never again 
wrested ; it permanently relieved Maryland and Pennsylvania 
from the periodical invasions to which they had been subjected 
during three years, and the national capitol from further 
humiliations. This result had been accomplished by a battle, 
which, taken with its sequences inflicted upon the Confederate 
forces, losses in troops nearly as great as those wdiich w^ere 
sustained by the Union arms — an experience fatal to the fast 
dwindling forces of the South. 

The moral effect of this victory on the North was most 
wholesome. The discouragement which had prevailed re- 
garding operations in the Shenandoah Valley since the year 
1861 wholly disappeared. The magnetism Sheridan ex- 
ercised upon his troops spread through the country, and 
henceforth caused his fortunes in the valley to be watched 
with the eager expectation and hearty good will which fall to 
the lot of the favorite soldier. 

What old soldier here but remembers, with pride, the part 
he took in the many battles, skrimishes, marches and bivouacs, 
in that historic valley of Virginia? Beautiful to look upon, 
and so fertile, that it was styled the granary of Virginia ; rich 
in its well-filled barns, its cattle, its busy mills, the Shenan- 
doah Valley furnished from its abundant crops much of the 
subsistence of the Rebel army. When Confederate forces 

(3) 



— 4 — 

occupied it, their horses fattened on its forage, and in quit- 
ting it to invade the North, the commissaries filled their wagons 
from its storehouses and farms. 

Looking at the Shenandoah Valley in history, we see that 
it was the scene of constant Confederate maneuvering, whether 
on a large scale, under "Stonewall" Jackson, Ewell and 
Early, or on a smaller one under Ashbjs Mosb}', Imboden 
and Gilmor. 

From the first, it was a tempting field for the strategists 
of both armies. The initial campaign of the war turned on 
the use made of the Valley by the forces which Gen. J. E. 
Johnston posted at its outlet, under the name of the "Army of 
the Shenandoah," 

There, too, Jackson began the campaign of 1862, by sus- 
taining a check from Shields, for which he fully indemnified 
himself when, a few months later, he fell upon Shields at 
Port Republic, defeated Fremont at Cross Keys, captured the 
garrison at Front Roval, drove Banks across the Potomac, 
and by alarming Washington, broke up the impending junc- 
tion of McDowell and McClellan and the threatened capture 
of Richmond. It was from the Valley that Jackson, repeat- 
ing on a bolder circuit the Manassas device of 1861, hurried 
to turn the Union right on the Peninsula. Lee found in the 
V^alley a line of communications for his Maryland campaign, 
and captured at Harper's Ferry 11,000 men, seventy-three 
guns, and 13,000 small arms; there, too, he sought rest and 
refreshment on retreating from the Antietam. The Valley 
was Lee's route of invasion after defeating Hooker at Chan- 
cellorsville ; Ewell, on entering at Chester Gap, took several 
thousand men and a score or more of guns from Milroy, and 
thither again Lee fell back after Gettysburg, pitching his 
camps along the Opequan,^a creek which gives the name 
to the battle we commemorate to-day. The Valley of Vir- 
ginia had always played an important part in the drama of 
the war. It had yielded so many captures of Union garrisons, 
and so many disasters in the field as to be called the Valley 



of Humiliation, and not until it was wrested from Confederate 
control did the problem of the Richmond campaign find a 
successful solution. 

It would be impossible, comrades, in the time allotted me 
for this sketch, to tell of the fights, the skirmishes, the battles, 
the marches, the countermarches, and the movements im- 
mediately preceding the Battle of Winchester. Some of you 
remember the hot times at Halltown, at Kenrstown, at Carter's 
Farm, at Martinsburg, at Summit Point, and the fighting at 
every turn while in the lower valley. We must come at once 
to the memorable day, over nineteen years ago, when you and 
I saw again our comrades falling by the wayside in scores. 
In the main, little Phil. Sheridan and his veteran army had 
won the laurels, and now, on the eve of the battle, the air 
seemed laden with omens of victory. With Early weakened 
by the withdrawal of Kershaw and his division, bad doubts 
prevailed as to the result of a pitched battle. Early would 
have removed them by choosing this moment, by giving freer 
rein than ever to his main error in the campaign, that is the 
weakening of his forces in order to strengthen Lee at Peters^ 
burg. Had Early not woefully mistaken Sheridan's character, 
he would at once, on losing Kershaw, have so repositioned his 
forces as to be able to retire up the valley to Strasburg the 
moment his adversary should give sign of attack. 

Sheridan's plan was to move his infantry, preceded by a 
division of cavalry, along the Berry ville pike against Win- 
chester, and the other tW'O divisions of horse to Stephenson's 
depot. Torbert was to advance across the Opequan from 
Summit Point, with Merritt's division, and to form a junction 
near Stephenson's with Averill, who was to move up the pike 
from Darksville. Nelson was to march rapidly along the 
Berr3wille pike, carry the crossing of the Opequan, and charge 
through the long ravme beyond, toward Winchester. The 
sixth and nineteenth corps, the former in advance, and Emery 
responding to Wright on reaching the Opequan, were to 
move along the Berryville pike as thus cleared by Wilson. 



— 6 — 

The army of West Virginia, or the eighth corps, Gen. Geo. 
Crook commanding, of which our own old Thirty-fourth Ohio 
formed a part, was to march across the country from Summit 
Point taking position in reserve at the crossing of the Opequan. 

The scene of the battle now to be fought demands a brief 
description. Opequan Creek, rising half a dozen miles south 
of Winchester, pursues its course down the valley four or five 
miles to the east of that city, and continuing in its general 
direction parallel to the pike, joins the Potomac below Falling 
Waters. The turnpike, from Berryville to Winchester, after 
crossing the Opequan, passes through a wooded ravine. 
Running nearly due east into the Opequan, and crossing the 
valley pike about a mile from Winchester, is Abraham's 
Creek; while a nearly parallel little affluent, about a mile and 
a half north of Winchester, is Red Bud Run, the Berryville 
pike being between them. The distance from Berryville to 
Winchester is ten and a half miles, the crossing of the Ope- 
quan on the pike being about six from the former point. The 
region in the suburbs of Winchester was undulating, covered 
here and there with patches of woods, but generally high and 
open, with meadows, corn-fields and some houses. Abraham's 
Creek runs through a deep hollow, but there is high, open 
ground beyond, on the Front Royal and Millwood Roads, 
while to the north the country slopes to the Red Bud, which 
is lower and more marshy. North of the Red Bud the country 
is open, and excellent for cavalry. 

Early's position, prior to his movement of two corps to 
Martinsburg, was this : Ramseur, with Nelson's artillery, a 
mile east of Winchester, across the Berryville pike, along an 
elevated plateau between Abraham's Creek and Red Bud 
Run ; Rhodes, Gordon, Wharton, with Braxton's and King's 
batteries, were at Stephenson's ; one division of cavalry 
picketing the Opequan, extending its outpost line northward, 
and then crossing the Martinsburg pike westward toward the 
mountains, to cover the left ; the other division picketing the 
rigiit along the Millwood and Front Royal roads to the 
Shenandoah. 



— 7 — 

The morning of September 19, 1864, broke auspiciously. 
Sheridan's army was astir by one or two o'clock, and march- 
ing by three, in order to reach the enemy betimes. Nelson 
galloping through the Berry ville gorge, which is two or three 
miles long, Mcintosh's brigade in advance, at dawn carried 
the earth-work at the mouth of the defile, capturing some of 
its garrison. The infantry followed in the path thus cleared. 
The sixth corps, Getty's division leading, crossed the country 
to a point on the Berryville pike about two miles from the 
Opequan. There the head of the nineteenth corps was found, 
ready to turn in, and was halted by Wright, to whom Emery 
had reported, until the sixth should pass. The troops marched 
on either side of the pike, the artillery, ambulances, and such 
of the train as was carried, taking the macadamized road. 
There the column crossed the Opequan near the junction of 
Abraham's Creek, and moved through the ravine. Debouch- 
ing there, it found Wilson still in his captured earth-work un- 
molested. Just beyond this work, rolling ground offered suf- 
ficient protection for deploying the column ; and the troops 
that had been halted in the ravine, being gradually drawn up 
on the line, the first stage of the enterprise was successfully 
accomplished. 

The position now taken up was two miles from Winchester, 
but as the enemy was more than a mile in front of the city, 
the sixth corps went into line under a heavy artillery fire, to 
which the Union guns soon replied. The third division, 
Rickett's, was on the right of the pike, the second, Getty's, on 
the left ; the first, Russell's, in reserve. Four batteries, as they 
came up, were placed on the corps' front, under charge of 
Col, C. H. Tompkins, chief of artillery. The formation w^as 
designed to be in two lines, but the second division was mostly 
placed in one line, in order to cover its ground. Wilson took 
position on the left of the sixth corps. 

The nineteenth corps had been halted to allow the sixth 
to pass, and was further impeded by the guns and wagons of 
this corps ; but Wright, at Emery's request, at length ordered 



_8 — 

these, except one battery, to the side of the road, so that the 
nineteenth might have a better chance. Still, it was about 
noon before the line was ready to move forward, the second 
division, Grover's, of the nineteenth, having come in upon the 
right of the sixth, the first, Dvvight's, being held as a reserve 
in the rear, and the last of the sixth corps batteries having 
arrived. 

During the morning hours, Ramseur's division had been 
the onl}- infantry immediately confronting Sheridan at Win- 
chester, aided by Nelson's battery. Jackson's, and a part of 
Johnston's cavalry, under Lomax, watched the valley of Abra- 
ham's Creek and tiie Front Ro3'al road, on Ramseur's right, 
and a detachment of Johnston the space between his left and 
the Red Bud. But while the Union line was forming in front 
of Ramseur, Gordon and Rhodes were hurried from Stephen- 
son's, and the former arriving first, between ten and eleven 
o'clock, was placed in the timber on Ramseur's left near the 
Red Bud, Johnston's cavalry detachment having been moved 
to the right for this purpose, while Rhodes, when he came up, 
was positioned between Gorden and Ramseur. Had the 
Union march through the ravine been as rapid as was hoped, 
Ramseur might have been overwhelmed before aid could 
arrive. The change in the situation was that Sheridan had 
now, unexpectedly, to fight Early's whole arm}'. 

At twent}' minutes before mid-da}', the line moved across 
the open to the belt of woods opposite, where the flashes of 
the enemy's cannon had told of his presence. No sooner had 
the infantry gone forward, than the battle at once became 
deadly, and so continued through the day, being fought with- 
out field-works. 

On the left, south of Abraham's Creek, near Greenwood 
church and school-house, Nelson moved along the Senceny 
road, which runs parallel to the J5erryville pike, more than a 
mile distant from it; here holding Lomax in check, and very 
soon forcing him back. The sixth corps pressing forvv'ai-d on 
both sides of the Berryville pike, through an almost open 



country, drove back Ramseur and Rhodes. The nineteenth 
corps sharp!}- attacked Gordon. Grover in advance, was 
formed with his first and third brigades, Birge and Sharpe, in 
the front Hne, and the fourth and second, Shunk and Molineux, 
in the second. The effort to keep connection with the left of 
the line made a gap which was filled by bringing Molineux 
into the front line between Birge and Sharpe. Grover now 
assailed the enemy's left with great effect. '' Evan's brigade 
of Gordon's division," says Early, "wliich was on the extreme 
left of our infantry, received a check from a column of the 
enemy, and was forced back through the woods from behind 
which it had advanced, the enemy following to the very rear 
ot the woods, and to within musket range of seven pieces of 
Braxton's artiller}', which were without support. This caused 
a pause in our advance, and the position was most critical, 
for it was apparent that unless this force was driven back the 
day w'as lost. Braxton's guns, in which now was our only 
hope, resolutely stood their ground." 

The success thus gained against the Georgia brigade, 
which was driven into the woods, broke up the continuity of 
the Union line. Even before this, Col. Keifer, commanding 
the right brigade of Rickett's, which formed the right of the 
sixth corps, had noticed that the turnpike, on which the divi- 
sion was dressing, bore to the left, causing an interval between 
it and the nineteenth corps, and he had pushed three regi- 
ments into this space. Braxton's guns, concentrating against 
the triumphant Union assailants, soon had a visible effect in 
checking their advance ; and at this moment Battle's brigade 
of Rhodes' division, which had just arrived from Stephenson's, 
and had formed in the rear of Evans, came through the 
woods on a charge — fresh troops at a critical hour. They 
struck the thinly-covered junction of the right of the sixth and 
the left of the nineteenth corps, and quickly supported on their 
flanks by the remainder of Rhodes and all of Gordon, the 
broken brigade rallying with the rest, they succeeded in driv- 
ing back Rickett's division of the sixth corps, and Gro\or of 



lO 



the nineteenth, while the whole line, to some extent, felt the 
effect, and came backward somewhat toward the position 
in front of the ravine from which it had advanced. This 
temporary advantage which caused the chief loss of prisoners 
suffered by the Union forces, cost Early the life of Gen. 
Rhodes, one of his most skillful division commanders. 

At this juncture, Russell's division of the sixth corps 
splendidly improved a golden opportunity. Ordered at once 
to move up into the front line, now needing reinforcements, 
this change brought it into the gap created by the Confederate 
charge, and continuing its advance, it struck the flank of the 
hostile force which was sweeping away the Union right, and 
aided by the fifth Maine battery, which enfiladed the enemy's 
line with canister, at once turned the tide. The enem}^ re- 
treated, the line was re-established, the fugitives were 
gathered from the woods in which they had taken refuge, 
while the gallant division took position on the right of its corps. 
But in the hour of his triumph, Russell had fallen, a piece of 
shell had passed through his heart. He had just before re- 
ceived a bullet wound in his left breast, but had not mentioned 
this to any of his staff', continuing to urge forward his troops. 
" His death," said Sheridan, "brought sadness to ever}'^ heart 
in the army." The broken portion of Rickett's line was 
quickly reformed behind the first division, now under Upton, 
and again moved forward, while Dwight's division having 
taken the place of Grover's on the right of the line, the latter 
was promptly rallied and brought up. 

It was now past mid-day, and after the fierce and con- 
tinuous struggle which had included Sheridan's initial ad- 
vance, his recoil under the charge from the Confederate left, 
and his rally and re-advance toward Early's position in the 
woods, there was a comparative lull, which the Union com- 
mander employed in preparing for an effort with his full 
strength. Tlie army of West Virginia, with our beloved 
Crook at its head, which had been left in reserve, was now 
moving on the scene. Sheridan's original purpose had been 



1 1 



to use it on the left for seizing the valley pike when he had 
supposed that he would have but half the enemy's force to 
meet at Winchester, and that it would attempt escape to Stras- 
burg ; but the temporary repulse of the Union right, and the 
strength developed by the enemy there, made it evident that 
whatever danger was to be apprehended would come from 
that flank ; this, indeed, was probable from the outset, since 
the absent Confederate divisions, hurrying in from Stephen- 
son's and beyond to Ramseur's relief, or driven in by the 
cavalry there, must necessaril}^ fall upon the Union right. 

Leaving a small portion of the corps to guard her trains, 
Crook was ordered to move the rest rapidly on the front on 
the pike. Thoburn marching forward with the first and third 
brigades of his division, found the ravine filled with wagons, 
artillery, ambulances and stragglers, seriously impeding his 
progress and that of Duval, commanding the second division. 
Thoburn, under Crook's direction, formed in two lines, Wells 
the first and Harris the second, on the right of the pike, be- 
hind the heavy wood, in front of which Emery was fighting, 
and then moved forward to Emery's right, connecting closely 
with it and compactly filling the space to the swamp}^ hollow 
drained by Red Bud Run. Duval went on the north side of 
the run, holding Crook's right. 

Sheridan arrived about this time, and directed Thoburn, 
as soon as Duval w^as up and connecting with him, to charge 
directly through the woods in his front. A rousing cheer an- 
nounced Duval's approach, and both he and Thoburn rushed 
at the woods with a confident eagerness that broke Gordon's 
division which was at this point. 

But this was not the only fresh force that now threatened 
the Confederate left. Torbert, setting out early in the moi^n- 
ing, with Merritt's division, had crossed the Opequan at Ridge- 
way's and Locke's fords, while Averill had come up the 
Martinsburg pike. Merritt dispersed the enemy's pickets, but 
a mile and a half be37ond found himself checked by Wharton's 
division of infantry and King's batter3S which were at Steph- 



I 2 



enson's, and had advanced to meet him. The incident was 
vexatious, but Averill, driving the enemy in his own front, 
comprising Imboden's cavahy, now under Smith, and Mc- 
Caushind's, now under Ferguson, all the way up the pike 
from Darksville to Stephenson's, thus came into the rear of 
the infantry, facing Merritt, which thereupon abandoned its 
position. Only with difliculty and some hard fighting did 
Breckenridge succeed in bringing off Wharton on the pike 
from Stephenson's, arriving at Winchester about 2 o'clock A. 
M. Patton's brigade was left to help Fitz Lee's cavahy to 
withstand Torbert ; but before long the latter was driving in 
both Patton and Fitz Lee, " the cavalry," says Earl}^ ^'com- 
ing back in great confusion, followed by the enemj'^'s." To 
add to the stress, Wilson, far on the left, had so threatened 
the Millwood and V^alley pikes, that Early was compelled to 
weaken Fitz Lee, even in his need, by detaching Wickham's 
brigade, so as to secure a route for a retreat, which was all 
he could now hope for. He had also, at first, moved two of 
Wharton's three brigades toward his right, where he feared 
being cut oft'; but almost immediately these were sent back, 
for, by 4 o'clock, Crook and Torbert were simultaneously 
attacking Early's left flank — Averill on the west of the Mar- 
tinsburg pike, Merritt on the east, and Crook on Merritt's left. 
Crook, on entering the fight along Red Bud Run, had 
struck Patton's infantry biigade and Pa3'ne's cavalry, which 
had been trying to hold back Torbert. from coming in on the 
rear of Early's left flank. Breckenridge was accordingly 
now employing the other two brigades of Wharton and King's 
battery in checking Torbert. As Breckenridge's line was 
necessarily at right angles with the Martinsburg pike, its 
flank was in turn exposed to Crook, who was advancing be- 
tween Wharton and Gordon. The latter, therefore, put in 
Evans' brigade to fill this gap, and Thoburn soon received a 
flank fire. lie sa\v he must , change front to the left, "but 
the instincts of the soldier," he says with a fine frankness, 
"prompted to the proper movement; before my commands 



— 13 — 

could be conveyed, each man was marching and facing 
toward the enemy's fire. Colonel Duval's division crossed 
Red Bud Run morass at this point, and his command and 
my own mingled together and acted together until the pursuit 
was over ; 'tis true, our lines were broken and all gone, but had 
we moved in such a manner as to preserve our lines, the 
enemy would have escaped unhurt, or else driven us back." 
While Crook and Torbert were coming in on the right, 
the sixth and nineteenth corps had been advanced with equal 
success on their fronts, driving Ramseur and Rhodes steadily 
back to Winchester. For "as soon as the firing was heard 
in rear of our left flank," says Earl3^ "the infantry began 
falling back along the whole line." A mile of such progress 
on both flanks brought the Union troops close to the town, 
w^here a line of breastworks, constructed early in the war, 
gave the shattered Confederate forces some refuge, and bat- 
teries were planted there, and also at the toll-gate and ceme- 
tery. Wickham, hurr3nng back to Early's left, now took 
position on Fort Hill, confronting Averill. The remainder of 
the Confederate line was as before, namely, Fitz Lee, Whar- 
ton, Gordon, Rhodes, Ramsevir and Lomax, the latter partly 
opposite the Union left, and partly at the junction of the Mill- 
wood and Valley pikes, the former of which Wilson held. 
The eflbrt to retain this line was fruitless. "The enemy's 
cavalry," says Early, "again charged around my left flank, 
and the men began to give wa}^ again." As da}^ ended, 
Early's forces broke through Winchester in complete retreat. 
•' I never saw our troops in such confusion before," wrote a 
wounded and captured Confederate officer on his diary. 
" Night found Sheridan's hosts in full and exultant possession 
of much abused, beloved Winchester. The hotel hospital was 
full of desperately wounded and dying Confederates. The 
entire building was shrouded in darkness during the dreadful 
night, and sleep was impossible, as the groans, sighs, shrieks, 
prayers and oaths of the wretched sufferers, combined with 
my own severe pain, banished all thought of rest. Our scat- 



— 14 — 

tered troops, closely followed by the large arm}' of pursuers, 
retreated rapidly and in disorder through the city. It was a 
sad, humiliating sight." 

The sixth corps on the left, moved over to the pike south 
of Winchester, but as it had been a hard and long day of 
marching and fighting, there was no attempt at infantry pur- 
suit, and probably nothing would have been gained by push- 
ing these tired troops after the flying enemj^ The cavalry 
only followed him up the pike to Kernstown, where Ramseur, 
by maintaining his organization, effectually covered the re- 
treat, which afterward, under the cover of darkness, was con- 
tinued toward Strasburg. The Union forces were overjoyed 
at their success, and their enthusiasm became unbounded 
when General Sheridan, with Generals Wright, Emery and 
Crook, rode in front of their lines. The commander-in-chief 
hastened to write a dispatch, which told the story of the day 
in thfe electric phraseology that soon came to be popularly 
associated with him. "We have just sent them whirling 
through Winchester, and we are after them to-morrow. This 
army behaved splendidly." The note of exultation was taken 
up throughout the North, and the phrase, "whirling through 
Winchester," was on every tongue. Grant ordered each .of 
his two Richmond armies to fire a salute of one hundred guns, 
and added in his dispatch to Sheridan: "If practicable, 
push your success, and make all you can of it ;" and President 
Lincoln, on the day after the battle, at the suggestion and 
earnest wish of Grant, gave the victor, "little Phil." Sheridan, 
the well merited appointment of Brigadier-General in the 
regular army, besides the permanent command of the Middle 
Military Division, to which his appointment had till then been 
but temporary. Congratulations from all sides poured in, but 
none heartier than the followino- ! 

" Have just heard of your great victor}^ God bless you 
all, officers and men. Strongly inclined to come up and see 
you. 

A. Lincoln." 



— '5 — 

Grant followed his first terse dispatch with a longer one : — 

" I congratulate you and the army serving under you for 
the great victory just achieved. It has been most opportune 
in point of time and effect. It will open again to the Govern- 
ment and to the public the very important line from Baltimore 
to the Ohio, and also the Chesapeake canal. Better still, it 
wipes out much of the stain upon our arms by previous disas- 
ters in that locality. May your good work continue, is now 
the prayer of all loyal men." 

The conflict had been a bloody one. The Union loss was 
from 4,900 to 5,000 men, and of these about 4,300 were killed 
or wounded, including Russell, and the wounded, Generals 
Upton, Mcintosh, who lost a leg, and Chapman, and Colonels 
Duval, commanding a division, and Sharp commanding a 
brigade. 

Early's loss was from 3,900 to 4,000. He officially 
reported the casualties of the infantry and artillery in this 
battle to be 3,611 ; and supposing his cavalry loss to be in the 
same ratio as that of the Union cavalry, that is, about one- 
eleventh of the whole, we reach the figures already indicated. 
Of his casualties, nearly 2,000 were prisoners, and many of 
his wounded, also, were left in the Winchester hospitals, or 
elsewhere along the valley. Among his killed were Generals 
Rhodes and Goodwin, and Colonel Patton, a brigade com- 
mander. Among his severely wounded were Generals Fitz Lee 
and York. By promptly recognizing his impending defeat, 
Early was able to save his trains and stores, and the transport- 
able portion of his sick and wounded. But he left as trophies 
to Sheridan and his army five pieces of artillery and nine 
battle-flags, captured on the field. 

» My friends and comrades, this oflicial narrative of the 
battle of Winchester conveys but imperfectly to your minds 
the dreadful picture presented that day. It does not describe 
in detail the charging and countercharging of armed hosts. 
The terrible rumble and roar of hundreds of cannon, dealing 
death and wounds upon that field, can not now be heard. The 



— i6 — 

groans, the agony of disabled men, stricken down in the 
prime of early manhood, can not now be realized. Fathers, 
sons, brothers and lovers here laid down their lives, or were 
maimed or shattered. Many that day went into the fight, 
who, by the setting of the September sun, filled soldiers' 
graves ; deeds of heroism were done that day which chal- 
lenged the admiration of the world. Never did troops per- 
form such prodigies of valor. " P'rom early morn 'till dewy 
eve" the din and strife, the whir of bullets, the screaming of 
shell, and the clanking of sabres were heard, and when the 
end came the ghastly field w^as strewn with dead and dying. 
Here fell, badly wounded, our gallant division com- 
mander. Gen. I. H. Duval, and while crossing a corn-field, 
and just before reaching the edge of the sanguinary Red Bud, 
the chivalrous and manly Carter, at the head of Co. D, my 
old regiment, fell dead at my feet, struck in the forehead with 
a musket ball. But never faltering, with our ej'es fixed on the 
enemy, who at that time were advancing to the opposite side 
of the Red Bud. we pushed on amid a shower of musketry 
that was simply murderous. Emerging on the opposite bank, 
we ascended the elevation and met them face to face. Then 
ensued a hand-to-hand conflict. The ranks of Union and 
Confederate regiments mingled indiscriminately, the colors 
of both floating in the breeze together, the blue and the gray, 
man to man. Duval had been carried to the rear with a 
musket ball in his thigh, but Col. R. B. Hayes, since President 
of the United States, assumed the command of the division, and 
by his presence in the battle front encouraged his men to 
deeds of daring. Cool and vigilant, he sat upon his horse 
amid that leaden rain, while scores of veterans on either side 
went down around him. Finally, the tide turned in our 
favor. Down the hill, hotly pressed by the Union men, went 
that valiant band of rebels. The day was won. The flag 
of the old Thirty-fourth never looked so beautiful, nor was 
borne so proudly, as on that glorious day, when in the thickest 
of the fight its shadow fell upon its brave defenders. 



— 17 — 

But when night came, many a comrade failed to answer 
to roll-call ; their seats at the mess-table and around the camp 
fire were empty. 

But peace is with us now. *' Grim visaged war hath 
smoothed his wrinkled front," and to-day the busy hum of 
industry has taken the place of the clangor of arms and the 
strife of contending battalions. 

Thank God ! white-winged peace has thrown her mantel 
around our beloved land, and to-day not an armed foe to our 
country and its flag can be found from the gulf to the sea. 

Men who, twenty years ago, met in deadly strife, now^ 
clasp hands across the once bloody chasm, and talk of days 
gone by when the fate of the Nation trembled in the balance. 

Northerner and Southerner speak together of the times 
that tried men's souls, and a common love of country inspires 
both, while they repeat in unison the touching lines of the 
poet: 

" No more shall the war-cry sever, 

Or the winding rivers be red; 
They banish our anger forever 

When they laurel the graves of our dead ; 
Under the sod and the dew, 

Waiting the judgment day, 
Love and tears for the Blue, 

Tears and love for the Gray." 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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